Tuesday, October 14, 2003

Antidepressants Seem to Have Reduced Teen Suicides
Reuters Health story at Yahoo - "In the last decade, a fall in adolescent suicide rates in the U.S. has coincided with an increase in the use of drugs to treat depression. Now, new study findings strengthen this association by showing that these changes often occurred in the same geographical regions. ... The current findings, which are reported in the Archives of General Psychiatry, are based on a study of antidepressant use and suicide rates among teens in 588 U.S. postal codes during the 1990s. The researchers analyzed data from several sources, including a major pharmacy benefit program, national suicide mortality files, and the U.S. census."  
  

Controversial Implant Sparks 'Town Hall'
Newsday story - "Scientists at the University of Pennsylvania are developing a controversial implant designed to deliver small doses of antipsychotic medicines for up to a year to people with schizophrenia. Knowing that this approach raises a host of medical and ethical issues, the researchers held a medical 'town hall' meeting last month."